State Senator Greg Brophy is a farmer and avid cyclist. He represents 12 counties in eastern Colorado. He's been called one of the most conservative members of the legislature and a Prius driving, bicycle riding, eco freak. You decide...

About Me

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I thought it would be interesting and fun to share an example of an email exchange between a non-constituent and me about a story covering the legislature in the Denver Post.

Here's what Jon wrote:

Mr. Brophy and Mr. Vigil,

So let me get this straight, both of you intend to introduce competing bills on daylight savings time (http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_16803353) at a time when (1) the state is facing nearly a billon dollar budget shortfall; (2) the state constitution has been intentionally violated year after year by your underfunding K-12 education; (3) higher education is on the brink of total fiscal collapse; and, (4) the economy is in the worst shape since the great depression; etc. etc. etc.

And you two want to debate whether to change daylight savings time? Really? Are you kidding me?

Tell me why this is acceptable to the two of you: In 1989, when I graduated from Fort Lewis College, I and my classmates could work a summer job to pay for tuition--today it’s starting to look like it will be less expensive to send my 17 year old daughter to a college out of state than it will be to pay in-state tuition. While you two wallow in frivolity, I’m wondering how the hell I’m going to pay for my kids’ college tuition that you two keep raising.

Why don’t you two spend your time and energy solving real problems?

Jon

Dolores, Colorado

And my response:

I'm perfectly capable of walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time.

I'm also introducing bills to:1. Help the natural gas industry increase demand for their product2. Give small rural schools a new tool to keep their doors open while recognizing that the number of students will likely keep declining.3. Cut red tape at schools so kids can keep their life-saving medication with them instead of locked in a cabinet in the office4. On tort reform to classify mountain biking as intently dangerous, so that ski areas, for instance, won't be sued when someone crashes on the slopes - hopefully encouraging more tourism.

I'll be introducing a Constitutional amendment that will keep the legislature from increasing taxes by calling them "fees".

Finally, I'm reaching out to the new administration with examples of how the Ritter Administration harmed the oil and gas industry with over-burdensome regulations and how we can smartly improve what was done in a way that encourages economic activity while protecting the environment.

I'm continually surprised by what the media finds worthy of coverage. I spend most of my time working on the nuts and bolts of reducing the scope of influence of government in our lives and making the government that we need effective, but I seem to draw the most amount of coverage on relatively frivolous issues.